Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI411-12’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALI411-12’, characterized by its compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit; numerous scarlet red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCALI411-12’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘USCALI411-12’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new Calibrachoa cultivars with uniform plant habitand attractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Apr. 19, 2004 in Hikone, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryseedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ04-18,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedlingselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ04-22, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Gensingen, Germany on May 24, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany since May 25, 2005 hasshown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar USCALI411-12 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USCALI411-12’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘USCALI411-12’ as a new and distinct cultivarof Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and outwardly spreading growth habit.    -   2. Numerous scarlet red-colored flowers.    -   3. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are not as upright as plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have red pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants ofthe male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more upright than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent have        yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivarUSCALI411-7, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/978,128. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ from plants of thecultivar USCALI411-7 primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivarUSCALI411-7 have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivarSunbeire, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inGensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plantsof the cultivar Sunbeire in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Sunbeire.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flowered earlier than plants of        the cultivar Sunbeire.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Sunbeire        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunbeire had        pinkish red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of thecultivar KLECA05114, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed fromplants of the cultivar KLECA05114 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa flowered earlier than plants of        the cultivar KLECA05114.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar KLECA05114        differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar KLECA05114        had red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCALI411-12’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up of typicalflowers of ‘USCALI411-12’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., under commercialpractice during the spring and summer in an outdoor nursery with daytemperatures ranging from 7° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 7° C. to 21° C. Rooted young plants were grown for about eightweeks in 15-cm containers. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI411-12.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ04-18, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ04-22, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and outwardly            spreading plant habit. Freely branching habit with about            eight primary lateral branches each with multiple secondary            lateral branches; pinching enhances branching. Moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 52 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 32 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—146C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146B.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; venation, 147C.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation, 147D.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            146C. Color, lower surface: 146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arranged singly arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering            habit with usually about 34 open flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch. Flowers persistent. Flowers face upright to            mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            initiate and develop flowers about four to six weeks after            planting. Plants flower continuously from April to October            in Southern California.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm by 2.6 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm by 8 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: 195B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.2 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly obovate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth, velvety. Petal            texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Throat texture: Smooth,            velvety. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper surface: 182D. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: 160D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: 45A;            color becoming closer to 182A with development; venation,            46A. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 181D; venation,            181D. Throat: 14B; venation, 145A. Tube: 160B; venation,            147C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            1 cm. Sepal width: About 2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate.            Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:            137A. Color, lower surface: 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 35° to 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity/arrangement: About five per flower. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 10A.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 10A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.1 cm. Style length: About 9 mm. Style color: 145B. Stigma            shape: Oval. Stigma color: 146C. Ovary color: 146D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI411-12’ asillustrated and described.